Andamannicobar Festivals

An annual festival, Island Tourism Festival is organised in Port Blair by the Andaman and Nicobar tourism department. A fortnight festival, Island Tourism Festival is organised every year between December and February and it projects the image of the islands as an eco-friendly tourist destination. Island Tourism Festival is the main festival of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar islands and it comprises of fine exhibitions, cultural programmes, competitions and much more. During this 15-day long festival dance, drama and musical programmes are organised. Exhibitions, displaying arts and crafts of the islands, flora and fauna and marine life, are essential parts of the tourism festival. Government agencies and business ntrepreneurs from the twin islands and mainland of India participate the exhibitions in large number. Island Tourism Festival exhibitions display the development aspects of these islands. Andaman and Nicobar Administration invites the cultural troupes and artistes of national and international fame who entertain the visitors with their unique performance. Beside, the talents of these islands including tribals also perform during the festival. Aqua sports completions such as Nicobari Hodi are added attraction of this festival. Other attractions of the festival include Magic show, Puppet show, Floating restaurant, Baby show, Dog show, Canoe Race, Scuba Diving, Tele games etc

The Urs (or Ziarats) is a typical Kashmiri festival. It is held annually at the shrines of Muslim saints on their death anniversaries. Urs of Meesha Sahib, Urs of Batamol Sahib and Urs of Bahauddin are particularly famous. These Urs are popular despite the rigorous weather. Celebrated in different parts of Srinagar, not only Muslims but Hindus and Sikhs also take the blessings. Sindhu darshan festival is another important festival when the Kashmiris come from all over the state to worship the source of the River in Leh. There are many Buddhist Monasteries in the part of Leh as the major population of Leh and Ladakh practices Buddhism.Few typical Leh Buddhist festivals such as the Yuru Kabgyat celebrated in July. Dances with masks are performed and the masks worn by the lamas during the dances represent guardian divinities. Doscmoche is another ancient festival, still celebrated every year in February with great pomp and fervour. The courtyard of the chapel below the gates of the Leh of the Leh Palace comes alive with the music of drums and the thumping steps of the masked Lamas from different monasteries performing the sacred dance-drama. The Lamas prepare, consecrate and eventually destroy the sacrificial offerings as the climax. The Hemis and the festivals of the Drokpa community are particularly interesting and attract lots of visitors for the celebration.